Maine dentist talks tooth decay on … the Weather Channel?

An Augusta dentist went on national television Thursday morning to talk about bottled water’s connection to rising tooth decay among children.

Dr. Jonathan Shenkin appeared on the Weather Channel for a live interview about how the popularity of bottled water could be contributing to kids’ dental problems.

The piece coincided with World Water Day.

“We’re finding out that as more children are given bottled water instead of fluoridated tap water, we are returning to higher cavity levels,” Shenkin said in a press release. “Parents are often surprised when they bring their children and the children have dental decay. It’s becoming a national problem.”

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Shenkin, who appeared on the program via Skype, is a pediatric dentist and spokesman for the American Dental Association. He recently was interviewed by the New York Times and MSNBC about the rising rates of cavities in children.